Great Photos & A Photo Mag Issue — On Building a Better Blog... Brent Riggs

Great Photos & A Photo Mag Issue — On Building a Better Blog... Brent Riggs

This is a perfect chance for you get your questions answered, request demonstrations, have your photos published, and be highlighted as photographer (or someone who takes great blog photos).

• If you are a photographer, or just shoot good blog photos, and want to be considered to have YOUR OWN GALLERY PAGE in the issue, contact (brent@brentriggs.com).
• If you are photographer and want your own photo gallery in the issue, or want to contribute“how to” or educational articles about photography, contact (brent@brentriggs.com).
• If you want to submit your photos for publication in the public photo gallery, go here:http://www.seriouslifemagazine.com/submit_content_forms.asp?c=photos
• Email (brent@brentriggs.com) with your photography requests: How-To’s, Demo’s, Tools, Education… what you would like to see in this issue that will help you take better photos?

Hurry and respond… by Sunday… this is a great chance for some of you photography buffs and even professionals to get some significant exposure.

Brent

Source - http://www.mcklinkyblog.com/200912/great-photos-a-photo-mag-issue/

Homage to the Valiant Heroes and the Victims of 26-11 - At Karwar

We, as small Group of Lawyers friends at Karwar paid Homage to the valiant Heroes and the innocent victims of the 26-11 Mumbai Terror Attacks, at the residence/office Mr. Pradeep M Naik Advocate.

Mumbai's prominent landmarks like the Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, Oberoi Trident, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Nariman House fell prey to the Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives. Several brave officers of the Mumbai Police force like Joint Commissioner of Police, Anti-Terrorist Squad, Hemant Karkare, Police Inspector, Anti Extortion Cell, Vijay Salaskar and Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte fell prey to the bullets. National Security Guards and Marine Commandos were summoned to bring the situation under control. The NGS also lost its two personnel, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Commando Gajendra Singh. The day is a tribute to all those martyrs who gave up their lives to ensure others could live to tell their tales and a salute to the bravery of those who survived. CNN-IBN

Attending the Homage ceremony at Karwar Lawyer Pradeep M Naik's house, were Anil Mayekar, Anirudh Haldipurkar, Jagadish Harwadekar, Ramnath Bhat, Yogesh Naik, Nagaraj Deshbhandari, Varada Naik, Vinayak Naik, A. D. Naik, Ramnath Parulekar, Jyoti Mirashi, Gajanan P Tarikar, Ashwini Gowda, etc. Advocate Kiran Naik sang patriot songs and 2 minutes of silence was observed.

The first anniversary of the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terror carnage was also the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian constitution but sadly, this did not get the attention it deserved, a Rajya Sabha MP lamented Thursday. ‘This morning, when we assembled, we paid tribute to the victims of the 26/11 attack. But we have forgotten that our constitution was adopted on 26th November 1949. Today is the 60th anniversary of that momentous event,’ Bharatiya Janata Party member S.S. Ahluwalia said during zero hour. ‘Sadly, there is no mention of this in the media. Parliament too has forgotten about it. There was not even a bouquet placed in the Central Hall where the constitution was adopted,’ Ahluwalia added.

Source: 26/11 anniversary is also 60th anniversary of constitution’s adoption 60th anniversary, ahluwalia, indian constitution, rajya sabha

A year later, the entire nation has come together to observe the first anniversary of the 26/11 attacks and pay homage to the 166 people who lost their lives. Indian Express Nation observes first anniversary of 26/11

Music Stars And Their Embarrassing High School Yearbook Photos : Blog : Pedestrian.tv

Music Stars And Their Embarrassing High School Yearbook Photos : Blog : Pedestrian.tv

Shall we dive back into the working week with a tasty slice of schadenfreude? Think of it as a wheat grass shot for the soul via the music industry's most embarrassing yearbook photos.

From Gene Simmons and Prince to Madonna and Avril Lavigne (who surprise surprise wasn't a punk) Impact Lab have compiled a skin-crawling collection of yearbook photos which belie the superstar persona those manipulative Record Companies would have you believe.

Case in point? Lil John was once the long lost cousin of Steve Urkel. Eminem looks like a beady eyed yokel who's one defective gene away from retardation. And while currently channeling "sexually ambiguous metrosexual" American Idol host Ryan Seacrest rocked the decidedly less sexy "future pedophile" look in middle school. Thank God our yearbook photos will never see the light of day.

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DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON ( Read This Article

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON - Source - FUNLOK.com

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. 
She said, " How do I know if I married the right person ?"
I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, " It Depends. Is that your husband?"
In all seriousness, she answered " How do you know?"
Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's Weighing on your mind.
Here's the answer.

EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with Your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked Their idiosyncrasies.

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a Completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, " I was swept of my feet." Think about the Imagery of that _expression. It implies that you were just standing There; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the Natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls Become a bother ( if they come at all), touch is not always welcome ( when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute,  drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you Think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, " Did I marry The right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of The love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else.

This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for  their Unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is The most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.


I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You Could.

And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because ( listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find " LASTING love. You have to "make"  it day in and day out. That's why we have the _expression " the labor of  love."

Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it Takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific Things you can do ( with or without your spouse ) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe ( such as gravity),

There are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise Program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your Relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If  you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... You can " make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a " decision"... Not just a feeling.

**************

SantaBanta Jokes -- Cheergirls in Sarees!

SantaBanta Jokes -- Cheergirls in Sarees!

End of the World ???

Source - Twisted Physics

50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind

Sourced from - www.marcandangel.com

These questions have no right or wrong answers.

Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.

1.           How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

2.          Which is worse, failing or never trying?

3.          If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

4.          When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

5.          What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?

6.          If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

7.          Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

8.          If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

9.          To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

10.      Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

11.       You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do?

12.       If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

13.       Would you break the law to save a loved one?

14.      Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?

15.       What’s something you know you do differently than most people?

16.       How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

17.       What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back?

18.       Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

19.       If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?

20.      Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?

21.       Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?

22.      Why are you, you?

23.      Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?

24.      Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?

25.      What are you most grateful for?

26.      Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?

27.      Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?

28.      Has your greatest fear ever come true?

29.      Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now?

30.      What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?

31.       At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?

32.      If not now, then when?

33.      If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?

34.      Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?

35.      Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?

36.      Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?

37.      If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?

38.      Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?

39.      Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?

40.     When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?

41.      If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?

42.      Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?

43.      What is the difference between being alive and truly living?

44.     When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?

45.      If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?

46.      What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

47.      When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?

48.      What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?

49.      In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that?

50.      Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

The H1N1 Farce - Medicine killls effectively than the disease - http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20090801-20969.html

The enormous vaccination programme against the A/H1N1 swine flu virus due to start this autumn across Germany is nothing less than a huge experiment, a prominent critic of the pharmaceutical industry says.
Wolfgang Becker-Brüser, doctor and publisher of the arznei-telegramm magazine which details critiques of the pharmaceutical industry, says current safety testing rules allow for up to a quarter of a million people to have serious reaction against the vaccine.

Conditions set out for the vaccine, which is still being developed, to be licensed for use, are particularly lax, he alleges.

Only those reactions which occur "frequently" – meaning at least once in each 100 test patients, would be noted and considered serious, says Becker-Brüser.

This means that if the target of 25 million Germans being vaccinated is met, nearly 250,000 could have a serious reaction against the vaccine.

His warning comes as a report was released showing that half of children in England who have been given the current flu drug Tamiflu, used to keep the A/H1N1 flu at bay, have suffered side-effects such as nausea, insomnia and nightmares.

Others are also having second thoughts about the wisdom of injecting as much as a third of the population with a brand new vaccine.

Matthias Gruhl, head of the health care office in Bremen state, who is responsible for pandemic planning told Der Spiegel magazine, “If the swine flu stays as harmless as it is now, a mass vaccination programme would not be justified.”

He said current plans were being drawn up on the assumption that a second, much worse wave of infections would come later in the year.

But he said there was no indication that this would actually happen.

There are also suggestions that the vaccine is likely to cost the public purse more than initially calculated, according to Der Spiegel.

The magazine reported that €410 million will be needed for the vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline, making the sum of €650 million set aside by the Health Ministry realistic only if the state health ministries actually undertake the vaccinations.

Should doctors become involved, and the vaccine be ordered via pharmacies, the programme will cost more than €1 billion, the magazine said.

http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20090801-20969.html

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Hankon Thermal Power Plant - 1

This is the temple of Sri. Sateri Devi at Hankon village, in Karwar Taluk (Wikimapia Link). This Ancient Temple, recently renovated by its devotees, opens for only SEVEN DAYS in a year..

Sateri Devi temple at Hankon, about 10 km from here on the Sadashivgad- Kadra state highway, has been attracting devotees not only from this part of the state, but from Goa and Maharashtra as well.The most significant feature of the temple is that it is open only for a week in the Bhadrapada month. The festival is celebrated during this week. Legend has it that about 300 years ago, Sateri Devi took birth at Hankon in a human form. Having mystic powers, she was revered by the people. However, one day she disappeared by jumping into a well.When the villagers prayed for her to resurface, Sateri Devi, who appeared in the dream of a devotee promised that she would give darshan only on two days in a year. When they asked her to stay for at least a week, she agreed.Thus the festival is celebrated from the fourth day of Ganesh Chaturthi every year for one week. More here...

Residents of this village - Hankona are protesting against the establishment of a Coal-based Thermal Power plant in their fields and neighbourhood. The locals allege that the Company behind the proposed coal-based thermal power plant bought land from them in the guise of setting up a resort. The Kali which flows here has created an evergreen thick forest cover, and is the breeding ground for many species of marine and acquatic life.

Despite all this the Ministry of Environment, Government of India gives clearance to the Thermal project. In the Public Hearing that was held at the Hankona village, more than 53 Points, supported by Documentary evidence was tabled by the majority of the people that spoke against the Thermal Plant.

It seems none of these Objections were considered by the Government. The entire Public meeting was documented, and videographed,but what irks the local poeple is that none of their objections were even replied to by the Ministry. This shows that the entire operation was stage managed...

Meanwhile, take a look at this :- Orissa inks MoUs for 10 thermal power plants will be set up with an investment of Rs 45,000 crore to produce 10,920 MW power...

Campaign against Coal Based / Fired Thermal Power Plant Projects in India Petition

Campaign against Coal Based / Fired Thermal Power Plant Projects in India Petition

To: The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, President, Prime Minister (PM), Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Governors, Chief Ministers (CMs) and Chief Secretaries

Campaign against Coal Based Thermal Power Plant project

Chamalapura plant: KERC wants a re-look at project The Hindu, Sat, May 31, 2008

Centre rejected eco-clearance for Chamalapura project in 1998 : The Hindu Sat, Apr 05, 2008

The Greenhouse Effect (Photo)

Global Warming: causes and effects (Photo)

Causes of global warming (Photo)

How Acid Rain Works (Photo)

Indian Netizens' Forum

Summary report of the study on "Post-Clearance Environmental Impacts and Cost-benefit Analysis of Power Generation in India" Conducted by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute February, 2006

Air Pollution / Pollutant

Almost all >(greater than) 100 MW Coal based / fired thermal power plants or CBTPPs or CFTPPs by consuming thousands of tons of coal daily, heavily pollute the air of the surrounding region. Burning coal also releases massive amounts of toxic mercury and arsenic.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Coal is considered a heavily polluting fuel in terms of black carbon, sulphates and other gaseous pollutants primarily due to incomplete and inefficient combustion. CBTPPs/CFTPPs are responsible for almost 21 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions.

Official figures from China in 2003 suggest that TPPs using coal, released over 11 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide or SO2 into the air, accounting for more than 50 per cent of the total emissions in the country.

India is fifth (in the year 2001) in the world in carbon emissions (251 million metric tons of carbon equivalent). Emission levels in the CBTPPs are high.

Black Carbon

Black Carbon or BC due to the TPPs causes dense / intense fog, haze and smog as in the Indo-Gangetic or I-G/IG basin or as in the northern plains during the winter season and brings day to day life to standstill. An intense air pollution will persist throughout the year.

http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/

An increase in the concentration of BC produces changes in the monsoon (rainfall) patterns and abnormal heating of the atmosphere as BC is strongly absorbing in nature.

Global Warming and Climate Change

Coal is the most carbon intensive of all fossil fuels, emits massive amounts of carbon dioxide or CO2 leading to global warming and climate change.

Respiratory Ailments

SO2 causes a number of health problems, including respiratory disorders.

Water Environment

Water slurry is used to take the ash from the power plant to the ash pond for disposal.

The water may contain harmful heavy metals like boron, which have a tendency to leach out over a period of time. Due to this the ground water gets polluted and becomes unsuitable for domestic use.

The second factor affecting the water environment is the release of ash pond decant into the local water bodies. This is harmful to the fisheries and other aquatic biota in the water body.

Geochemical hazard by coal-ash from a CBTPP in Kolaghat, West Bengal, India

Huge amounts of ash rich in toxic trace elements and radioactive elements or radionuclides, are disposed off in large ponds and on open grounds surrounding the power plant, thus contaminating the topsoil and the subsurface aquifer.

Absence of an underground lining permits easy mixing of the ash with the topsoil of the area. Al, As, Zn, Mo, Ba, V, Mo, Cd, Mn, and Pb exceed the WHO guidelines for drinking water in the tube well waters.

People living near the ash ponds are subjected to a high radiation dose from the ash ponds and the soil cover, which is ~ (approximately) 2.6 times higher than the world average.

Noise

The exposure of employees to high noise levels is more in the CBTPPs.

Land Environment

The natural soil becomes more alkaline due to the alkaline nature of flyash thereby damaging the agriculture / agricultural sector.

Biological Environment

The effect on biological environment can be divided into two parts, viz. the effect on flora and the effect on fauna. Effect on flora is due to two main reasons land acquisition and due to flue (combustion exhaust) gas emissions. Land acquisition leads to loss of habitat of some species.

Socio-Economic Environment

The study of the effects of power plants on the socio-economic environment is based on three parameters, viz. Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R), effect on local civic amenities and work related hazards to employees of the power plants.

The CBTPP has the highest number of accidents due to hazardous working conditions.

Assessment of Uncertainties

The development of civic amenities due to the setting of a CBTPP/CFTPP project is directly proportional to its size or installed capacity. Higher the capacity greater the civic amenities, pollution, hazardous working conditions and health hazards.

Influence of coal based thermal power plants on aerosol optical properties in the Indo-Gangetic basin

India is the third-largest producer of coal in the world (365 million tons, 2003-04), where the coal used in the power plants is of poor quality (mostly E-F grade or lignite) with high ash content (35-50\%) and low calorific value.

http://www.eia.doe.gov

Therefore, preference should be given to promotion of cleaner sources of energy to reduce the pollutant load in the atmospheres over India and China.

The total pollution load from the transport sector is quantitatively second to the TP sector.

http://envfor.nic.in/soer/2001/ind_air.pdf

Environmental impact of coal industry and thermal power plants in India

The problems associated with the use of coal are low calorific value and very high ash content. The ash content is as high as 55-60\%, with an average value of about 35-40\%.

Further, most of the coal is located in the eastern parts of the country and requires transportation over long distances, mostly by trains, which run on diesel. About 70\% oil is imported and is a big drain on India's hard currency.

Campaigns Thermal Trauma, February 2007

Ash samples taken from the 735-MW CFTPP in Pagbilao, Quezon in the Philippines operated by Mirant were found positive for mercury, arsenic and lead.

The same must be true for Indian plants, but it would probably need applications under the Right to Information or RTI Act, as industrialists, do not seem to display much loyalty to the people of India.

Despite all the well-documented negative impacts of CBTP generation, the Indian central / state governments are unfortunately bent on going forward with more and more in complete disregard of the impacts.

The Karnataka Industrial Development Board or KIADB has already handed over 263 ha. in Yellur to NPCL, which has begun to level agricultural land and clear forested areas, some privately owned and protected as sacred groves and believed to harbour leopards, wild boar and a rich avian diversity.

Villagers claim the company did not take prior permission, violating section 28 of the Panchayati / Panchayathi / Panchayti Raj Act. A writ petition challenging the project's environmental viability is pending before the Karnataka High Court (HC).

A National Environmental Engineering Research Institute's (NEERI) study states that the project is unsustainable, even if a Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) plant is installed. Yet, the polluting plant has been accorded clearance.

Though this coastal region is ecologically sensitive and no polluting project should be sited here, successive governments continue to try and extract commercial gains from clearances.

In an act that can only be described as "suicide by climate change," the Maharashtra Government has also sought to double the number of TPPs to eight!

The planners and leaders in India unfortunately neither seem able to comprehend the issues surrounding climate change, nor seem to be aware of the serious consequences for our economy.

Solutions will probably never be found until the government itself works to educate its people against the 'disease' of environmental degradation. Looking at alternate energy sources and investments in energy efficiency would ultimately benefit the economy itself.

Greenpeace India recently initiated a positive and creative campaign, "Switch for Mumbai" to encourage people to adopt energy efficient ways to use electricity so that the city could bridge the energy demand-supply gap.

We can influence the choices we make today by reducing our own power consumption.

We protest against our country's / states' suicidal plans to construct new CBTPPs and appeal to opt for coal-free alternatives as
1. CBTPPs are one of the biggest contributors to global warming.
2. TPPs will pollute the air, water and soil in the area and affect livelihoods of farmers and fishermen.
3. India must look towards earth-friendly alternatives to meet our power demand and adopt energy-efficient ways rather than invest large amounts in destructive CBTPPs.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

View Current Signatures

10 reasons why you should blog?

10 reasons why you should blog?

10 REASONS WHY SHOULD YOU BLOG ?

1) Expressing Yourself
As mentioned earlier, blogging helps you to express freely, most of which is normally not possible physically. The expression could be your own or your response to others point of view or current events. I think this is the most important trait of blogging.

2) Blogging gives you exposure.
Blogs can give you tremendous exposure. As you build content on the blog, like minded people join in. Lot of people find your blog through search engines, looking for things of similar interest as yours, thus giving you quite a bit of exposure. Blogs being inherently Search Engine friendly help quite a bit.

3) Blogging gives you power
With exposure comes power. Especially, if your blog content is either controversial or popular. If you have build credibility over a period of time, people will be influenced by what you say and write. This gives you power and self gratification.

4) Blogging gives you knowledge
Yes, I have experienced it first hand. When you write a blog you will always be interested is what is happening around you and what are others writing. This process itself will give you information overload. And when you have information/ knowledge you are very confident !

5) Blogging improves your writing skills
When you start blogging you may or may not be too confident about your writing skills. However, if you blog consistently and frequently you are bound to improve your writing skills. I find myself asking this question a lot of times –Have I really written this :)

6) Blogging lets you connect with your employees and employers

Whether you are a CEO, a manager or just a employee, blogging lets you connect with your superiors, colleagues, or sub-ordinates. In many cases your blog becomes your effective way of communication. This helps you in getting your point across at your own convenience.

7) Blogging puts you in touch with Industry Leaders
Yes, this is the fact. The Industry leaders are always on watch out for what people are saying about them or about their companies. There have been many instances when these biggies have directly communicated with bloggers. I do not think any other medium is simple enough to put you in touch with them !

8) Blogging can earn you money
Blogging can make you decent money. Not every body earns in Lakhs like Amit Agarwal of digital inspiration, but blogging can give a nice stream of steady cash. Earning money takes a bit of time, but if you write regularly and monetize your blog sensibly, you can surely make decent sum.

9) Blogging lets you share knowledge
One of the reason why blogs have been so popular is the amount of knowledge sharing that takes place. Also, this knowledge gets so refined over period of so many iterations that many people now only refer to blogs to get information- it is also because they can ask questions and interact with the person who has knowledge- unlike a static website that gives you a lot of information, but does not answer to your questions.

10) Blogging can grow your business.

This is another important aspect of blogging. You can easily bring in lot of new business, because of the personalized communication you have through your blog. People trust individuals not businesses. Blog is also an excellent medium to get instant feedback on your products and services, thereby giving you continuous platform for improvement.

There are tens of other reasons why you should blog, but every person has got his own reason for blogging. My question to readers

Y do you blog ?

grow your own architecture

grow your own architecture

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Techtree.com India News Consumer Electronics Samsung's Watch Phone is Slim, Expensive

Samsung has announced a new watch phone, the S9110. At 11.98 mm, it happens to be the slimmest watch phone money can buy now. The S9110 is a direct competitor to arch rival LG's GD910 watch phone that the world came to know about not long ago. Samsung seems to have pipped LG to announce and launch this phone before the GD910 is seen in stores.
The S9110 has it all to make you drool over it. From 1.7-inch touchscreen display to voice recognition, the phone oozes style and might turn out to be one gadget you'd like to flaunt. It comes with a leather strap and a stainless steel body. It is not low on features as well, thanks to a decent music player and an e-mail client. There is Bluetooth as well for those looking for wireless freedom. Thanks to A2DP support, you won't look like Michael Knight calling K.I.T.T for help whenever you answer a phone call.

So, folks over at Samsung have priced this beauty (depends on which side of the design divide you stand) at 450 Euros (Rs. 31,000 approx.), which, mind you, is quite a decent amount of money if you are talking in cellphone terms. If you are an 80's kid who had always yearned for those "cool" watch phones, you now can finally own one!Techtree.com India News Consumer Electronics Samsung's Watch Phone is Slim, Expensive

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Michael Jackson: The Virgo In a World Apart | Tarot.com

Michael Jackson: The Virgo In a World Apart | Tarot.com

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The late, great Michael Jackson always displayed a Leo's flashy style, but he was born with his Sun in modest Virgo. The self-critical nature of this zodiac sign can lead to shyness (think Michael Jackson's last few years, all but living as a recluse). Dark Pluto's conjunction to Michael's Virgo Sun added power, mystery and -- in the end -- danger to his personality.

Before his recent, untimely death by heart attack on June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson was long considered one of the most enigmatic celebrities on the planet. A star since early childhood and the creator of some of the most popular and recognizable music of his time, his legal difficulties have outshone his musical work in recent years. Born August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, Michael was a Virgo, the zodiac sign of the clean, careful and quirky. In the latter half of his career, this germ-phobic performer seemed to have embraced the shadow side of Virgo's characteristics.

The astrological explanation for this is the close conjunction of Pluto, the planet of extremes, to Michael Jackson's Sun. Pluto's presence empowered Jackson with almost superhuman skills as an entertainer; unfortunately, Pluto is associated with the mythological Lord of the Underworld, which means Pluto's presence also revealed the potential for Jackson's dark side and deep secrets that require complete privacy -- this explains why Jackson demanded complete control of his environment, and why he left the stage and studio to create his own, childlike haven (Neverland Ranch in California). Trust doesn't come easily for Pluto types, even ones who weren't famous at the age of six. The Sun is also a symbol for the father, with Michael's famously controlling and allegedly abusive papa (Joe Jackson) well-represented by Pluto in his son's chart

The finely tuned precision of Michael's Sun wouldn't have attracted audiences and produced beautiful music without the exquisite sensitivity of Jackson's Pisces Moon. The Moon represents feelings, and none are more refined than those of the last sign of the zodiac. This gave Michael Jackson the lush imagination to complement and inspire his truly Virgo, high-level skills. People with their Moons in Pisces often live in a world without emotional boundaries; they're sponges who pick up on the reactions of those around them.
This is a gift when it comes to healing others and tapping into a bottomless well of creativity. But it can also bring a sense of uncertainty, an unrooted quality that makes for restless souls. Faith helps overcome this vulnerability, as Pisces Moons often find the universal connection they seek through religion or spiritual practice. Still, Michael remained isolated by his uniqueness, separated by actions both inspired (his relentless musical creativity) and profane (his questionable relationships with young boys) that made him so different from the rest of us.
His rare musical brilliance shone most brightly through the symbol of artistic Venus in the expressive sign of Leo. But Michael's Venus was both gifted and complicated by its close proximity to Uranus, the planet of uniqueness. Venus-Uranus people bring fresh perspectives to the arts and often break the boundaries of old categorizations. The success of the quirky Plutonian hit 'Thriller' was a breakthrough for African-American artists in the culture of early MTV, showing how this placement of Venus and Uranus added sparkle and freshness that excited audiences and confounded critics -- Michael Jackson did not fit into any conventional category as a performer.

On a personal level, this relationship between Venus and Uranus could hint at unusual relationship preferences, as well as a fear of being confined by love. The vast majority of individuals with this combination in their chart are in no danger of violating laws or shocking the community. Yet in Michael Jackson's case, the absence of clear sexual orientation (or the questionable ways he tried to express his sexual orientation) have sadly become his most publicized characteristics in recent years.

It is unfortunate that a profoundly talented soul -- and such a creative mind -- made his mark on pop culture, only to have it marred. With this Venus-Uranus placement, it remains unclear whether Jackson broke any laws, or if he truly was just an eccentric with an innocent -- if misunderstood -- love of children.

Whether guilty of crimes or not, however, Michael may have felt that in his uniqueness there was also something deeply wrong with him, as if his creative genius had not put him above us, but had simply set him apart. Interestingly, the strength of all these elements -- his honed Virgo work ethic, his highly imaginative Pisces Moon, his Venus-Uranus-inspired way of flaunting convention, even the Plutonian tendencies to push musical boundaries to the extreme -- truly combined to make Jackson the once and future King of Pop.